Embroidery-frame



W. KOLLER.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920.

1,400,293. Patented 1m 13, 1921-.

6 SHEETS -SHEET I.

IAIVENTOR.

Wf/7m ATTORNEY.

. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

w. KOLLER. EMBROIDERY F RAME."-

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920.

ATTORNEY.

W. KOLLER.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

hml R *N INVEN TOR.

ME Y.

W. KOLLER.

EMBROIDERY FRAME; APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920.

Patented D00. 13, 1921.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

W; KOLLER.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920. 1,400,293. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

6 SHEE-TSSHEET 5.

WM JJH M/ A TTORNE Y.

INVEN TOR.

W. KOLLER.

EMBROIDERY FRAM'E.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1920- 1,400,293. Patented 1m 13, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6..

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

WILLIAM KOLLER, 03 "v PATENT OFFICE.

VHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

EMBROIDERY-FRAME.

Application filed July 2-5,

To all 'w/mmit may concern:

lie it known that I. EVILLIAM KoLLnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at .lhite Plains, in the county of l l estchester and Eitutc ofNew York, have invented cer- '21 new and useful Irv n-cements inEmbroidery rumes, 0; h the following is a full, cl ar, and exactspecification.

This iITFQDtlOIl relates to embroider frames. and has for its object toprovide improved means for accurately fixing each one of series ctsimilar patterns on as many pieces of cloth, each carried by a separateframe adapted to be nsced in turn below the needles i an embroiderymachine, whereby all oi the pieces of cloth may be emln'oidered alikeand so that the embroidery will accurately cover the desired design orpattern printed on each of said pieces of cloth.

The invention contemplates the provision of a plurality of cloth cl pingand holding frames, eecli comprising upper and lower frame members between which the cloth is adapted to be clamped, a. table over which saidframes are adapted to be successively moved on a track or gnideway,:lmorable member carrying design or pattern locating points adjustablethereon and adapted to he brought into register with the pattern or desin on each of cloth monntec the cloth in each the pattern locating I imeans for clamping said piece of cloth its fro -e after proper"adjustment accord said point to insure the proper location the design orpattern wits respect to freme when placed in the embroidery machine.

.ihe invention will be hereinafter decrioed n detail in connection withtoo 218- eying drawings, which constitute part i. i specifi ation, andthen more spe ciinlly defined in the claims at the end of points. r

c accompanying drawings, wherein 1' reference characters are used todescorresponding parts throughout the lriewszligure 1 is a sideelevation of a table with one of the frames supported thereon, and thepattern positioning member arranged shore said frame, one manner ofconnecting the parts of theirame together Specification cf lettersPatent.

lntented Dec. 13, 1921. 1520. Serial No. 3983 7.

mounting the shot. i. A .*(5".-' of a portion of the is showing th eeoi? the irames mounted reon, the mic e one 11 positioning at s deelevation substantially that the parts of ed up in a different)ositioning member is pattern positioning thereof.

111 new ot the lower partof Sll'l 111G113 bar of I desired length equ';or rails 2 ex tending nlon sversely to the embroidery 1 have guides 4.

on their to fit over said tracks or v hefrumes may be guided inpredetermined position along the table from one end where the frames maybe placed thereon to the other end from which they may b remo' cd forplacing below the needles of embroi .ery machines, not shown.

Each frame, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, comprises upper and lowerclamping parts of substantially the same shape, the lower cated at 12 inFig. 6.

part 5 having side bars and transverse bars 6 and 7, respectively, inthe form of channels 10 communicating with one another, Fig. 7 and theupper part 50 having corresponding side bars 8 and transverse bars 9having continuous ribs 11 to fit in said channels 10 of the lower partfor clampinga piece of cloth to be embroidered, as indi- In order toinsure a tight gripping action on the cloth between said rib andchannel, the upper part carrying the rib may be covered with a layer ofrubber 13, Fig. 11, or other suitable material which will also preventinjury to the cloth. a

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower part or clamping member 5 of eachframe has downwardly oifset rearward extensions 14c to its side bars 6,said extensions being provided with upwardly extending arms 15 to theupper ends of which the upper clamping member 50 is hinged at 16 byextensions 17 of its side bars 8 which extend beyond the hinges 16 andhave their extremities connected to the extremities of the extensions14: of the lower clamping member by springs 18 which automatically raisethe upper clamping member away from the lower member when released attheir front ends as will be later explained.

In Figs. 3 and 1 a modified form of connection between the rear ends ofthe clampbrought together.

ing parts of the frame is shown in which the extensions of the-side barsof said parts do not extend beyond the hinge 19 and a bowed spring isinterposed between said extensions in advance of the hinge of each pairof extensions, as best seen at 20 in Fig. 3. These bowed springs 20 havethe same action as the springs 18 of the other form of the device justdescribed, that is, they automatically raise the upper clamping memberaway from the lower clamping member of the frame when said members arereleased at their front ends.

The two clamping members of each frame may be latched together at theirfront ends by means of a hook-shaped latch 21 hinged at 22 to the frontend of the upper clamping member 50 and adapted to have its lower hookedend take under the front end of the lower clamping member 5 as shown inFigs. 1, 3, 5 and 9. Said latch has an outstanding lug 23 against whicha spring 2d carried by the upper clamping member bears for automatically moving the latch into locking position when the members of theframe are The latch also carries a rigid pin or arm 25 extendingsubstantially horizontally therefrom, when said latch is in verticallocking position, for operating the same as will be hereinafterexplained.

At one point'on thetable a rearwardly extendingbracket 26 is secured andto said bracket the pattern positioning member 27 is hinged, said memberextending forwardly 7 across the table above the frames 3 and adapted torest on blocks for spacing it above the member 50. As shown in Figs. 1and 2, the member 27 is hinged at 28 to an upstanding arm 29 on thebracket 26 through an intermediary horizontal link 30 which is in turnhinged at opposite ends to a downwardly extending stud 31 on the member27 and a vertical link 32 which is also pivoted to the member 27 at 33and to a treadle 34 at 35. The rear'extremities of the member 27 andbracket 26 are connected by a spring 36 which automatically raises themember 27 and holds it above the embroidery frames except when thetreadle is pressed down, said treadle operating through the links 32 and30 to swing the member 27 clownward over said frame. Lateral swinging ofthe member 27 is prevented by a guide arm or bracket 37 on the rear endportion of said member engaging a slot 38 in a standard 39 attached tothe bracket 26.

The hinge structure for the member 27 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 issimilar to that just described except that the rear end of the member 27is curved downward at .40 and connected directly to the horizontal link30, thus dispensing with the lug 31 of Fig. 1, and the spring 41 forraising said member is connected to said curved end of the latter at thepoint of hinge connection thereof with said link. In this form of theinvention the guide arm or bracket 42 for preventing lateral swinging ofthe member 27 is connected to the bracket 26 and the slotted standardwith which said arm engages is secured to the member 27 as shown at 43.

The member 27 has a slot 4 1 in the portion thereof disposed directlyover the middle portion of the frame positioned below it on the tracksof. the table, and in said slot there are adjustably secured 'aplurality of pattern positioning points or devices 15. As best shown inFig. 10, two of these positioning points are preferably carried by eachof a plurality of clamping bolts 16 fitted to slide in the slot 44 andadapted to be clamped in adjusted positions therein by a nut 17 on thelower end of each bolt cooperating with a thumbhead 4-:8 on the upperend of said sign or pattern tobe embroidered on the cloth mounted on theframes, which design or pattern is marked on the cloth before the sameis placed on the frames as already eX- plained. 5

The front end of the member 27 extends forwar ly beyondthe frame 3 a dsaid. ex-

around the bolts and be slot 53 a bolt 54 tending portion has a slot 52'therein through which t e end of the pin or arm 25 for oper ating thelatch for the frames may extend, as best shown in Fig. 5. Another slotis formed in said front end of the member 27 in advance of the slot- 52,and through said extends for connecting a slide 55 thereto. Said slidehas an upstand ing finger piece 56 at its front end for moving itforward, and to its rear end a spring 57 is attached for automaticallymoving the slide rearward when the finger is removed from said fingerpiece. The rear position of said slide may be determined by a block 58secured to the member 27 and by the bolt 54. engaging the rear end ofthe slot The slide 55 has a slot 59 therein adapted to register with theslot 52 in the member 27 when the slide is moved forward but which doesnot fully aiine with said slot 52 in normal msition of the slide asshown in solid lines in Fig. 5, the end of the arm 25 extendingbeyondihe front. end of said slot 59 in such normal position of theslide.

in the operation of the invention the frames 3, having the cloth 12mounted thereon with the design or pattern 60, F 2, top frame, adjustedthereon as best centered according to the eye of the operator, areadvanced along the track on the table to come successively below thepositioning points 45 carriedby the member 27. As each frame is broughtto a position below the member 27, as the middle frame in Fig. 2, thelatch there of is released by raising the arm 25, whereupon the uppermeml er of said frame will be ralsed away from the lower member thereofby the spring at the rear end of the frame, as already explained,leaving the cloth 12 free for accurate adjustment to register the designor pattern 60 with the points &5. During this adjustment of the cloth inthe frame, the member 27 is supported above the upper member of theframe by the sprin at the rear end of said member 27 already described.After the adjustment has been made, the member 27 is moved downward bypressing upon the treadle 34. As the member 27 descends, the arm 25 onthe latch 21 is engaged with the slide 55, as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 5 and in solid lines in Fig. 9. Said latch is thus held inretracted position until the upper member 50 of the embroidery frame isengaged with the lower member 5 t iereof. Before the foot of theoperator is removed from the treadle, the slide is moved by the fingerpiece 56 and against the tension of the spring 57 to release the arm 25,whereupon the spring 24; throws said rm to the horizontal position shownin solid lines in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and engages the latch 21 with thelower member 5 of the embroidery frame, thereby locking the upper member50 thereto.

It will be observed that by the means herein shown and described a greatnumber of frames may be quickly and accurately adjusted so as to insurethe proper stitching or cmbroidering of the patterns alike. Heretoforeit has been necessary to adjust the cloth with the patterns centeredmerely by the eye, which was not accurate, or with a rule which consumedconsiderable time. It will also be noted that the number of thepositioning points may be varied to suit requirements, so that anydesign or pattern, no matter how simple or complicated, may be adjustedby the present device both accurately and quickly.

it should be noted that in addition to the guides 37 and'39 at the rearend of the member 2'7, the front end of said member may carry a.transverse bar 61, Figs. 2, and 9, with turned down end portions 62 tofit between upstanding lugs (38 on the front end of the upper member 50of each frame. Said lugs 63 are preferably beveled on their inner faces,as at 64, for guiding the end portions 62 of the bar 61 on the member 27into proper position between them. This centering device also insuresthe proper positioning of the frames below the member 27, so that thepositioning of the pattern in each frame will correspond exactly withthe positioning of the pattern in the other frames.

As indicated in Fig. 1 at 65, if the piece of cloth to be embroidered isof considerable length, as may sometimes happen, especially whereseveral designs are to be successively embroidered on the same piece,the extra length of the cloth which is not clamped in the frame may berolled up and supported between the extensions 14 and 17 of the sidebars of the frame where it is out of the way and maintained in goodcondition during the adjustment of the design or pattern.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a support, of a plurality of frames havingpieces of cloth bearing similar patterns mounted thereon, means forguiding said frames successively along the support, and means arrangedabove the support and frames for positioning the cloth in each frameinturn to accurately correspond with the positions of the other piecesof cloth in the other frames to insure the same arrangement of thepattern in each frame for stitching in an embroidery machine.

2. The combination with a support, of tracks thereon, a frame forclamping a piece of cloth bearing a design to be embroidered therein,guides on said frame to fit saic. tracks, a positioning member mountedabove said support and movable toward and away therefrom, meansadjustable on said member for locating a given design accurately in theframe to insure the proper stitching thereof above said support and inan embroidery machine, and means for actuating said positioning member.

8. The combination with a support, of a frame for clamping a piece ofcloth bearing a design to be embroidered therein, a positioning membermounted above said support and movable toward and away therefrom, pointsadjustably mounted on said member for locating the outline of a givendesign and centering the same in the frame, and means for accuratelyguiding said frame below said positioning member on the support.

4. The combination with a support, of a two-part frame for clamping apiece of cloth bearing a design to be embroidered between said parts, apositioning member mounted movable toward and away therefrom, means onsaid member for locating the design accurately in the frame to insurethe proper stitching thereof in an embroidery machine, means for guidingsaid frame on said support below said positioning member and meanscarried by the frame for releasably clamping the two parts thereoftogether to permit adjustment of the cloth below the positioning memberand the securing of said cloth in the frame after it has been properlyositioned.

5. The combinatlon with a support, of a frame for clamping a piece ofcloth bearing a design to be embroidered therein, a positioning memberarranged above said support and movable toward and away from the same,said member having a slot, bolts adjustable in said slot, locatingpoints having shanks swiveled on said bolts for the purpose specified,and means for guiding said frame below said positioning member.

6. The combination with a support, of a frame for clamping a piece ofcloth bearing a design to be embroidered therein, a positioning memberarranged above said support and movable toward and away therefrom, meanson said member for locating the design accurately in the frame to insurethe proper stitching thereof in an embroidery machine, means for guidingthe frame below said member on the support, and means to center saidmember on said frame.

7. The combination with a support, of a frame for clamping a piece ofcloth bearing a design to be embroidered therein, a positioning memberarranged above said support 7 and hinged to swing toward and awaytherefrom, means on said member for locating the design accurately inthe frame to insure the proper stitching thereof in an embroiderymachine, means engaging the hinged end of said member for preventinglateral movement thereof, and means at the free end of said member tocenter it on the frame.

8, The combination with a support, of a frame for clamping a piece ofcloth bearing a design tobe embroidered therein, a positioning memberarranged above said support and hinged to swing toward and awaytherefrom, means on said member for locating the design accurately inthe frame to insure the proper stitching thereof in an embroiderymachine, and-means for centering the member on the frame comprisingbeveled lugs on the frame between which the free end portion of saidmember is adapted to be guidedand fit when the member is swung down uponthe frame. 7

9. The combination with a support, of a frame having members adapted toclamp a. piece of cloth bearing a design to be embroidered between them,a positioning member arranged above said support and hinged to swingtoward and away therefrom, means on said positioning member for locatingthe design accurately in the frame to insure the proper stitchingthereof in an embroidery machine, means for guiding the frame below saidpositioning member on the support, a latch for locking the clampingmembers of the frame together, and means on the positioning membersaid'latch in unlocking position.

10. The combination with "a support, of a frame having members adaptedto clamp a piece of 'cloth'bearing a design to be embroidered betweenthem, a positioning member arranged above said support and hinged toswing toward and away therefrom, means on said positioning member forlocating the design accurately in the frame to insure the properstitching thereof in an embroidery machine, means for guiding the framebelow said positioning member on the support, a latch for locking theclamping members of the frame together, an operating arm extending fromsaid latch and means on said positioning member for releasably engagingsaid arm for supporting the latch in unlocking position.

for releasably supporting 11. The combination with a support, of a'frame havingmembers adapted to clamp a plece of cloth bearing a designto be em- WILLIAM KOLLER;

110 broidered between them, a positioning mem-

